Eel Pox at Dragon's Edge
by BeyondTheClouds777
Summary: The last time Hiccup got Eel Pox was when he was seven years old, so coming down sick one morning at Dragon's Edge is a rude surprise.
1. Chapter 1

It was a peaceful morning on Dragon's Edge - or, as peaceful as one could expect on an island full of dragons. Night Terrors were chirping out in the distance, and all in all, it was a warm morning, the sun shining brightly. The heat was a flawless contrast to the snowstorm that blew through Dragon's Edge the previous night that whitewashed the entire island with snow and ice.

If Hiccup didn't feel so rotten, he probably would have passed it off as a beautiful morning.

He'd worked until midnight the previous night, marking down maps and making note of the new locations the Dragon Eye showed them. The snowstorm had kept them all grounded, so there was no flying, no patrolling, and quite honestly, no sleeping until it blew over. None of the riders had a particularly easy time going to sleep that night. The howling wind made sure they didn't.

So when Hiccup woke up with a pounding ache in his skull, he decided to wave it off as a result of staying up all night. He closed his eyes again and rolled over on his side, trying to get back to sleep. Nice, peaceful sleep, when he didn't have to worry about Snotlout or the twins blowing stuff up, or about new species of dragons wreaking havoc on their island. Sleep, where his head didn't hurt and he didn't worry.

Just as he was sure he was going to drift off again, Toothless nudged him violently from behind. The force nearly sent Hiccup rolling off the side of his bed, and he yelped indignantly. Toothless growled and nudged him again when he didn't get up.

"It's too early, Toothless," Hiccup muttered, pushing his dragon away with one hand without looking at what he was doing. "Go back to bed."

Toothless simply growled and nuzzled him again, and this time, Hiccup groaned and got up. If he didn't, Toothless would never leave him alone, and he would get up eventually, so might as well do it sooner than later. He sat on the edge of his bed with his legs dangling over the side of it, and he strapped on his prosthetic while Toothless bounded around the room.

"There, I'm up," Hiccup said. "Happy?"

Toothless cooed in reply, his teeth sheathed. It was no wonder he was so excited: they hadn't been able to do their night flight yesterday evening due to the storm, and Hiccup had promised the dragon that they would do it first thing in the morning.

Unfortunately, now, he wished he hadn't promised it, with how his head was feeling. He waved it off again and decided not to worry about it. It would get better as the day wore on, and if it didn't, he could always take a break from whatever they were doing and put some ice to his head.

But he doubted it would get _that_ bad.

"Alright, bud," he said, getting to a stand and opening the door to his quarters and taking a deep breath of the cool, refreshing morning air through his nose. The island was covered in thick, deep snow, and it sparkled against the sun. The air was cool, but not either cold nor hot. The perfect weather for flying. "Let's go for a flight, shall we?"

Toothless growled in agreement, and Hiccup mounted the dragon. Within seconds, they were airborne.

Flying was so relaxing that for a while, Hiccup forgot about his headache entirely and focused only on the refreshing feeling of the wind in his face and through his hair. Flying was something amazing that he always enjoyed, no matter how he felt.

Landing, however, after the flight, was a bit less enjoyable. As soon as Toothless touched down in front of the clubhouse, where Hiccup's friends were, Hiccup felt the painful pounding return to his head, only now, it was worse than it had been before. It was painful and almost unbearable, but he refused to show his pain, because he was stubborn and didn't want to worry his friends.

He slid off Toothless' back, wobbling only slightly before he walked forward, stepping inside the clubhouse. His chest felt oddly tight, so his breath was short and raspy, although he wasn't sure why. He felt nauseous, too. He passed both those things off as symptoms of exhaustion. He would have to get some rest later.

"Top of the morning," Hiccup called. Snotlout, Astrid, Fishlegs, and the twins were there with their dragons, and they turned to smile at him when he walked inside.

"Good morning, Hiccup!" Fishlegs said back.

"Yeah, morning," Snotlout growled. "You're late."

"Sorry," Hiccup said. "I was up late last night. I guess I slept in without thinking about it." He hoped his voice didn't sound too thick, and that no one noticed it.

He wasn't gained his wish, because the next thing he knew, Astrid was approaching him, looking concerned. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You look pale."

Hiccup shrugged casually. "Like I said, I was up late last night. I'm fine. I'll catch up on some sleep later on. For now, we need to discuss the Dragon Eye and see if we have any new ideas about how to discover more of the hidden maps. Fishlegs?"

Fishlegs stepped forward dramatically. "I think we should experiment with Toothless' plasma," he said. "You have plasma blasts, slow burns, and then not to mention the Night Fury call he can do. We should try those things today and see if any of them work differently. Maybe we can find something new."

"That isn't a bad idea, Fishlegs," Hiccup said, although in honesty, he was only listening to every other word. He was really focusing on not upchucking in front of his friends at this point. "Alright, Toothless. Let's see what you can do."

Before Toothless could even step forward, Hiccup broke into a coughing fit. The other riders were instantly looking at him with concern, and he waved his hand out to them, coughing into his fist. The coughs rattled his lungs and made him feel pathetic, but he wasn't going to let his friends know that. He hated it when they worried about him.

When his fit of coughing finally came to an end, he lifted his head and regarded the others. "What?" he rasped; his voice was throaty and sounded clogged, and he cleared his throat, although it only seemed to make it worse.

"Yeah, sure, right," Astrid said at length, stepping towards him and grabbing his forearm. "You're fine, riiiiggghhht. Obviously you're fine."

Hiccup swallowed. "I _am_ fine," he insisted.

Behind them, Snotlout snickered. "Ha!" he said. "Sure! You're fine, and I'm an idiot!"

"You _are_ an idiot," Astrid groaned.

"Oh," Snotlout said. It took him a moment before he fully registered what she had said. "Hey!" he protested, but at this point, no one was listening to him.

"How can you think you're fine, Hiccup?" Astrid asked, her voice softer than usual while at the same time demanding, like it always was. "Have you even _looked_ at yourself today? You're flushed, and…" She put her hand underneath his bangs and felt his forehead "...and you have a fever," she said. She groaned. "Forget what I said about Snotlout. _You're_ the idiot."

Hiccup shook his head. "Nah, Snotface wins best idiot award," he muttered. "And I don't feel that bad. It's just...sore throat."

"And?" Astrid said. "You know I'm not buying your lies, Haddock."

"Okay, fine," Hiccup grumbled. He knew there was no hiding anything from Astrid; she would get the truth out of him eventually, anyways. "I've got a headache, sore throat, and some dizziness. Now-"

"Hold on," Fishlegs said. "That, plus your fever and your cough? If you ask me, it sounds like Eel Pox."

"EEL POX!?" Snotlout and the twins yelped in unison, springing backwards.

"Hey, it's not that bad," Astrid said.

"Call it what you might!" Snotlout said. "But I am NOT getting sick! If you're smart, you'll get away from him! You know how contagious Eel Pox is!"

"Yeah, so whatever," Astrid said. "We probably already have his germs."

"Gee, thanks a lot, Hiccup!" Snotlout shouted.

"You're welcome," Hiccup grumbled. "As if I had a say in it."

"Forget it," Astrid said. "You are going back to bed. Snotlout-"

"I am NOT going anywhere near him!" Snotlout announced.

"I second that!" Tuffnut said.

"And I second his second that!" Ruffnut said.

"FINE!" Astrid yelled. "Then AT LEAST you can get back to Berk and find the cure for the Eel Pox."

"You won't get an argument from me!" Snotlout said, rushing towards his dragon and jumping on the Nightmare's back. "Come on, Hookfang! Let's get out of here!" Hookfang growled and shot into the sky, followed by the twins and their dragon. Fishlegs glanced back at Hiccup and Astrid.

"I guess I'll stay here," he said.

"Thanks, Fishlegs," Astrid said calmly. She shook Hiccup's shoulder, and he looked at her blearily. "Think you can go by dragonback?" she asked.

Hiccup shook his head and turned a pale shade of green.

"Alright then," Astrid said. "Looks like I'm dragging you home."

"But I could get you sick," Hiccup coughed.

"We're vikings," Astrid said. "We don't get sick."

Hiccup sighed.

It took her a few moments, but then, Astrid realized what she had said, and her eyes widened. "Oh, I didn't mean-" Astrid started. "Oh, gods, I didn't mean it like _that_. I'm sorry, I really...um..." She sighed. "Let's get you back to bed," she said, and before HIccup could protest, she put her arm around his shoulders and led him out of the clubhouse.

"I'll bring some water over," Fishlegs offered, and mounted Meatlug to do just that. Fishlegs got to Hiccup's quarters long before Astrid and Hiccup got there. After thanking Fishlegs, Astrid managed to get Hiccup back into bed, despite his protests of "I'm fine" and "don't worry."

"How on _Earth_ did you get Eel Pox?" Astrid questioned, soaking a cloth in cold water and laying it across Hiccup's forehead.

Hiccup draped his arm over his eyes. "I dunno," he said. "I always get sick this time of year, usually after a big snowstorm."

"And do you know why?" Astrid said. "It's because you're skinny. You should _seriously_ think about eating more. It's like, I hug you and I get a paper cut."

"Thanks for that flattering observation, Astrid."

Astrid rolled her eyes. "You don't have to be sarcastic," she said. "I'm trying to help you."

Hiccup fell silent, as did Astrid soon afterwards. The quiet of the room came as a surprise, and soon, it grew awkward.

"You didn't have to come today, you know," Astrid said, breaking the silence that had settled between the two of them. "You could have just told us you were sick."

Hiccup lowered his arm and gazed up at ehr. "I couldn't do that," Hiccup muttered. "Like you said. Vikings don't get sick."

Astrid bit her lip. "I didn't mean that," she said. "I just...I wasn't…"

"I get it," Hiccup said. "I get it, Astrid. I'm not viking material. I understand that."

Astrid blinked at him. "Where is this coming from?" she questioned. "Is this the Eel Pox talking?"

"Obviously not," Hiccup said. "I'm the one talking."

"But I thought we were over this," Astrid said. "I thought...I thought you understood..." She was silently leaning more towards the Eel Pox being the reason for Hiccup talking the way he was, but at the same time…

"Why don't you think you're viking material?" Astrid asked.

"For what you said," Hiccup said in reply "You're right, vikings don't get sick. You're right, I'm too skinny. Most people my age can wrestle a Gronckle to the ground. I can't even beat Snotlout at _arm_ wrestling."

Astrid sighed. "That doesn't mean anything," she said.

"It used to," Hiccup said. "Back before I nearly died after killing the Red Death. My weakness made me who I was. My weakness made me outcasted in my own village, amongst my own people. It used to mean _everything_."

He made a good point.

"But it changed," Astrid said. "You changed the way we thought about it. Your differences don't make you weak, Hiccup. They make you stronger."

"I don't even know what that means," Hiccup said. "I know people say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but I've been through a lot of things that have almost killed me, and they didn't make me stronger. I lost my leg. That didn't make me stronger. I was struck by lightning. That didn't make me stronger. And now I have Eel Pox. You tell me how that makes me stronger, Astrid."

"You don't understand," Astrid tried. "We ridiculed you because of your differences. We were blind, Hiccup. We didn't see you for who you were. We saw you for who you weren't. You aren't viking material, Hiccup. Not in our mindset, anyways. See, you can wield a sword, but that doesn't make you a warrior. You can know what two plus two is, but that doesn't make you smart. You can be big and bulky, but that doesn't make you a viking. You can be scrawny and different, but that doesn't make you weak."

"I don't see where you're going with this, Astrid."

"Your differences make you stronger, Hiccup. None of us were able to defeat the Red Death like you did. You used your brain instead of using your brawn. You saved a village who treated you as though you were the lowliest of low. And if that doesn't make you a viking, then I don't know what else does. You showed us that it doesn't matter how different we are. We're all people, Hiccup. And...and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for how I treated you. I'm sorry I never stood up for you."

Hiccup blinked at her. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do," Astrid said. " _Of course_ I do. You're the strongest of us all, Hiccup. Don't you forget that."

She hardly had time to think elsewise before he had her in a tight embrace. After a few moments, she hugged him back.

"Thank you," he whispered into her shoulder. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said. "And...you know something else?"

"Hmm?"

"Even the strongest people get sick sometimes. And when they do, it's alright to ask for help. Next time you get sick, tell me _without_ trying to hide it first. Deal?"

"Deal," Hiccup replied. "I love you, Astrid."

It wasn't something they never said to each other, those three little words, but she still found herself frozen after he said it. After a few moments, she hugged him tighter.

"Love you too," she whispered back.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Naaaaaawwwwwww. My Hiccstrid side is getting the better of me now, isn't it. I love writing about these two. I really do. It's funny to write them interacting with each other.**

 **So, really, this is a one-shot, but if you guys want another chapter, I can write one. In fact, I'll probably end up writing one anyways, but you know. I want to know what you guys think. :)**

 **As usual…**

 **Until next story! :D**

 **-BeyondTheClouds777**


	2. Chapter 2

**GUUUUUUYYYYSSSS. GUYS, I DID A THING. I DID A THING, GUYYYSSSS. GUUUUUUYYYYYSSSSSS. I DID CHAPTER 2. CHAPTER 2, WHOOOOOO! :D Sorry, I'm being weird again. :P As usual...**

 **Well, I hope you all enjoy this! And I might make this a three-shot...I don't know honestly. If you guys want me to make it a three-shot I will. Just let me know. :D Enjoy chapter 2! :D**

* * *

"Are you alright, Hiccup?" Astrid asked for the upteenth time, re-wetting the now humid cloth before laying it back on the sick boy's forehead again. He hadn't been getting better, and it had been roughly half an hour since Snotlout and the twins left for Berk. With how Hiccup's health was plummeting down hill, she was worried for his wellbeing.

Hiccup sighed and shrugged. "I'm alright," he said. "I've been better, and I feel awful, but...but I'm alright." He rolled over on his side and curled into himself. "Do you have any ideas for what you want to do next time we go exploring?"

"Well, I was thinking," Astrid began, "that maybe we could go to an uncharted island next time we discover one and, if it's safe, set up camp and stay for the night. Maybe we'll find more nocturnal dragons that don't come out during the day. And then…"

Hiccup wasn't listening to the actual words she was saying. Her voice was quiet and calm right now, and it normally wasn't like that, so having it like that now was soothing. Listening to her talk helped him keep his mind off his headache, and his churning stomach.

"...And, well, I think that's a good idea," Astrid concluded. "Don't you think so?"

"Mmmhhhnn," Hiccup murmured quietly, his eyes closed. He felt himself drifting off, but then, there was an itch in the back of his throat that he couldn't ignore, and after another moment, he started coughing. It was soft and frequent at first, but then, it turned for the worst, and before he knew it, he was hacking and coughing violently.

Astrid grabbed him by his shoulders and forced him into a sitting position. Before he could protest, she slapped him on the back, probably harder than she intended to. See, Astrid's version of "soft" was usually a normal person's version of "hard." It hurt, but he couldn't bring himself to care, because right now, her forceful slaps were helping him get his coughing under control, so he voiced no complaints out loud.

At length, he finally stopped coughing, resting his heavy head against Astrid's shoulder and shutting his eyes. He hated being sick normally, but Eel Pox was just the worst. He could handle the flu or a cold, or even a fever, but Eel Pox was like having all the common sicknesses at once. Short breath, coughs, nausea occasionally, fevers, dizziness, headaches, lightheadedness, weakness, fatigue...all of it. It didn't help that he'd stayed up until midnight the previous day, either. If he'd known he was sick with Eel Pox, he wouldn't have done it.

But unfortunately, there wasn't really any reason for regrets. He did what he did, and he made a mistake, yes, and there was no changing it, so might as well deal with it instead of wishing he had acted differently.

"Hey, you still there?" Astrid asked, shaking his shoulder. "Did you fall asleep?"

Hiccup shook his head, keeping his eyes shut. "Tempting, but no," he murmured. "Not yet."

She pulled away, much to his protest, and forced him to look at her, holding his head with her hands on his cheeks. "You look tired," she commented. "You _should_ sleep."

"Alright…" His eyes were already closing on their own, and he couldn't stop it, try as he might. Astrid laid him back, and he rolled over on his side again, sighing in both frustration and contentment; it felt good to rest, but at the same time, he hated feeling vulnerable, especially in front of Astrid. He coughed harshly twice into his fist, and Astrid rubbed his back.

"Try to get some rest," Astrid said. "I'll see if Fishlegs can make you some soup. It'll help your throat, and it'll help you keep up your strength."

He nodded. Astrid pushed his bangs out of his face, like she had done so many times since he had taken ill, and after a few moments, he was sleeping. Astrid watched him for a few more minutes before rising to a stand. She didn't want to leave him, but she wanted to see if Fishlegs had any word from Snotlout or the twins. So, she left Hiccup with Toothless, who was curled up next to the bed.

"Come get me if something happens, Toothless," Astrid said over her shoulder, and left promptly afterwards, mounting Stormfly and heading towards Fishlegs' hut. It didn't take her long to get there, and as soon as she did, she dismounted and made for the door.

"Wait for me, Stormfly," Astrid said, and Stormfly chirped in acknowledgement and laid down on the ground, curling her tail around her body and shutting her eyes. Satisfied with that, Astrid turned and knocked on the door.

Fishlegs opened it and greeted her. "Oh, Astrid!" he said. "You're here! Alright. I was wondering how Hiccup was doing." He stepped away to let her in, and once she had entered the abode, he shut the door behind her again.

"He's doing okay," Astrid said. "His fever's pretty high, but no delusions yet. He's still got a nasty cough, though. Any word from Snotlout or the twins?"

"Astrid, they haven't even been gone for an hour yet," Fishlegs said blatantly. "They probably won't be back for somewhere around twenty four hours. It'll take them probably almost ten hours to get to Berk, and then not to mention they have to find the Eel Pox cure, and then, they need to get back here."

Astrid sighed. "They'd better hurry up," she said. "Is there something I can give Hiccup for his fever, or his cough?"

Fishlegs nodded and took a small pail off the table and handed it to her. "Here, I made some soup earlier, just in case he decided he wanted to try and eat something," he said. "And as for his fever...I'll make some peppermint and yarrow tea and bring it over for him. It should help his cough, too."

"Thanks, Fishlegs," Astrid said. "I'm glad you're here and not Snotlout. Snotlout wouldn't have any part in helping Hiccup."

Fishlegs shrugged. "He just doesn't want to get sick," he said. "Which I understand. Do you remember what happened the last time Snotlout got Eel Pox? I don't think I want to see it happen again." He shivered, and Astrid smiled, if faintly.

"Alright, I'm going to take this to him," she said after a pause. "And thanks again, Fishlegs."

"You're welcome," Fishlegs replied, and Astrid headed off.

It took her a remarkably short amount of time to get back to Hiccup's residence, and as soon as Stormfly's feet touched the ground, Astrid slid off her back and started towards the door.

Just as she was about to open it, Toothless bounded out of it, looking frantic. He jumped when he saw Astrid, and as soon as he got over his fright, he roared at her and nodded towards the inside of the abode.

That couldn't have meant something good.

Astrid stepped inside instantly, setting the pail down on the table before turning and racing towards Hiccup's bedside. He was still, hardly moving at all except for the rise and fall of his chest, and for a few moments, Astrid thought that maybe Toothless had been overreacting about whatever he was going on about.

But then, Hiccup twitched and whimpered in his sleep, his once peaceful face being replaced with one pinched in an unspoken agony Astrid couldn't determin. She put her hand over his, and when he tensed, grabbed his hand and held it in both of her own.

She really hoped this wasn't a delusion. She didn't think she would be able to stand Hiccup in such a state like that.

"No…" he murmured, tossing his head. Astrid re-wet the cloth and laid it back on his forehead, but it didn't seem to help. "No...Astrid...no…"

Her eyes widened. She didn't know what he was going through, or what he was seeing, but she decided that she had to wake him up, before it got worse. She wondered what he was seeing in his dream. It obviously involved her, or else he wouldn't have been moaning her name, but she knew she really didn't have time to think about it. Her friend was in pain, and she was going to do everything in her power to take the agony off his shoulders.

"Hey, I'm here," she said, squeezing his hand in a silent reassurance. "I'm right here, Hiccup. I'm not leaving, and neither are you."

His whimpering quieted for a brief moment, but then, it worsened. "No...don't...don't hurt...hurt her…" he groaned. "Don't...please...please don't!" His voice was rising, along with Astrid's concern. He sounded so desperate, so small, so helpless that she couldn't help but feel as though her heart were breaking into a million pieces.

"I'm not hurt, Hiccup," Astrid promised. "I'm fine. I'm right here. Feel me holding your hand?" She squeezed his hand even tighter, and he squeezed back, although he wasn't awake, his eyes shut tightly as if he were in pain. "I'm right here for you." She readjusted the cloth on his forehead with her free hand, her other hand holding onto Hiccup's tightly.

It wasn't enough to help Hiccup, though.

"Astrid!" Hiccup shrieked, bolting into a sitting position. Astrid herself almost screamed, not expecting his sudden awakening and especially not expecting him to wake up shouting her name. She watched him look around wildly for a few moments, and when he looked at her, he screamed again and reached for his dagger.

 _He doesn't know it's me_ , Astrid realized with a pinch of horror. _Who knows how he sees me thanks to the Eel Pox._

She didn't have time to stop him before he drew his weapon, but she did manage to grab his wrist before he had a chance to hurt her or himself. His grip was surprisingly weak, and Astrid was able to pry the small dagger out of his hand. He was shaking like a leaf, and she tossed his weapon aside and put her arms around him. He was tense and breathing heavily, and she didn't know what else to do other than be there for him.

"I'm right here," Astrid whispered. "I'm not hurt. I'm fine. And so are you. You're alright, Hiccup."

After a few more moments, Hiccup spoke. "Ast-trid?" he rasped. His voice was weak, and it cracked so many times she had to think for a moment before she realized he had said her name.

She nodded. "Yeah, it's me," she said. "It's me. You're fine. We're both fine."

For whatever reason, just hearing her say that made Hiccup burst into tears. She didn't know what was wrong, or what he had seen in his dream, so she simply settled for holding him tighter.

"I-It was t-terrible, Astrid…" Hiccup sobbed. "D-Dagur...Dagur g-got you, and he...he...h-he said...that…t-that he would h-hurt you if I d-didn't help him...but...but e-even though I helped him, he...h-he still..."

"You don't have to tell me," Astrid said. His fever had spiked; she would have to bring it down when she had the chance to. "I know, I know...it was a dream. A nightmare, Hiccup. None of that happened, and it won't ever happen, alright? I'll always be right here, and if Dagur has anything to say about it, I'll kick his deranged behind all the way to America."

"B-but America doesn't exist…"

" _Exactly_."

Hiccup sighed and leaned his head on her shoulder, but a moment later, he pulled away again. "Astrid," he said.

"Yeah?" she asked.

Hiccup swallowed. "I'm...I'm going to be sick…"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Astrid stood, releasing Hiccup in the process and looking for a bucket. She found one in the corner of the room, and she instantly grabbed it and raced back to Hiccup again. She shoved the bucket underneath his chin, and not a moment too soon, either. She sat down next to him while he retched and heaved into the bucket, feeling sorry for him every moment of it.

"Sorry," she whispered.

Hiccup coughed. "No, don't be," he said. "N-not your fault…" He ducked his head again, and Astrid combed her fingers through his sweaty hair.

"Think you're done?" she asked after a few more moments. Hiccup nodded shakily, and Astrid took to disposing of the bucket while Hiccup laid back against his bed once again. Minutes passed before Astrid returned, and when she did, she sat down on the edge of the bed once again, soaked the rag in water, and laid it across his forehead. Afterwards, she pulled the blanket back over his body up to his shoulders. It was still reasonably cold outside; she would rather he be too warm than get chilled, especially with his fever and all.

"Thanks," Hiccup whispered, breaking her from her thoughts. She looked back down at him. Funny, she had been sure he was asleep. "For staying."

She took his hand and smiled faintly. "You're welcome," she replied.


	3. Chapter 3

Broth and water. That was all Astrid was letting Hiccup have until his immune system got stronger.

He didn't complain much, but of course, he was sleeping most of the time, and he was never one to complain in the first place. Only two days had passed since he had gotten the dreaded Eel Pox, and all in all, Astrid was thankful it wasn't worse than it was. Since he was strong at mind (unlike most Vikings), the delusions were minimal, but because he wasn't bulky or strong with muscle like most Vikings were, his physical body took more of a hit than his mental part. Although Astrid was glad he wasn't losing his marbles like most people did, she was also worried, because his body fighting the Eel Pox made him drained of energy, so all he could do was sleep, maybe eat some broth if Astrid pushed it at him long enough, and sleep again.

When he _did_ get delusional, however, it was worse than usual. Normally, vikings who were taken down by the illness thought they were someone they weren't and mistook objects for things they weren't (there was one time when Gustav thought that all the dandelions were Berserkers with crossbows trying to kill him), but Hiccup saw visions of either his past, or his friends dying. He woke up each time with a shriek of someone's name, normally with tears rolling down his cheeks even though it was plain he was trying to hold them back.

After that, he was never fully _there_ for another few hours. He would be shaky and terrified, and the adrenaline would sometimes make him sick, which was probably the worst symptom of Eel Pox, since Astrid was trying to keep something (even if it was simple, like broth) in Hiccup's stomach so at least he would keep up _some_ strength. But that wasn't working, and he was weakening because of it.

Fishlegs had gotten airmail from Berk the previous night, and according to the letter, Snotlout and the twins had been sent out (with Gothi, of course, so she could keep them in line) to find the ingredients to cure Eel Pox with. The note had also mentioned that Stoick was going to come to Dragon's Edge and do whatever he could.

The more the merrier, Astrid supposed. Besides, with Hiccup being so ill, Astrid wouldn't be surprised if he wanted his father with him.

Fishlegs helped with whatever he could, making tea and broth whenever possible and running it over to Hiccup's residence. All in all, Astrid was glad that neither she nor Fishlegs had gotten sick yet. She always told Fishlegs to make sure he kept a safe distance from her and Hiccup.

She wasn't completely surprised that she hadn't gotten Eel Pox from Hiccup yet; she had gotten a particularly bad case of it a few months back, and normally, Eel Pox was one of those illnesses you only got three to four times in your entire life.

Plus, she was glad she hadn't gotten it for two reasons: One, because she knew how miserable Eel Pox was. Short breath, nausea, coughs...just feeling all around yuck all the time. And two, because if she was ill, she wouldn't be able to take care of Hiccup, which would leave Fishlegs to help both of them while at the same time trying to avoid getting sick.

For the most part, Astrid hoped the others would get the cure and get back there fast. She didn't know how much longer she or Hiccup could take.

Astrid was sitting at Hiccup's bedside, like she always was, keeping a cold rag on his forehead constantly while also trying to keep him covered with his blanket. She was torn between throwing it off and tossing another one on; his fever was high, but he was shivering, his hands as cold as ice.

She was completely and entirely at a loss of what to do. She wasn't a healer. She didn't know much about illnesses and how to help someone who was being assailed by one, least of all Eel Pox.

Toothless and Stormfly were sleeping, curled up at the foot of the bed, although Astrid could tell that even in their sleep, they were alert, ready for anything. Ready to fight, even, if they had to. Astrid felt especially bad for Toothless; the poor Night Fury had been worried sick over his rider, and Hiccup had only been ill for about forty eight hours. Astrid hoped Snotlout and the twins got back with the cure, for everyone's' sakes.

He stirred, his eyelids fluttering, and Astrid stood up immediately and fetched a bowl of broth, which she quickly brought back over to the bedside after finding a spoon. She scooped some broth onto the eating utensil and held it to Hiccup's lips. His feverish, only half-awake mind told him not to accept it, so he turned his head to the side. Except, he was so weak that he hardly moved at all, and all Astrid had to do was steady his head by putting her hand on his cheek before she could spoon feed him. The first few spoonfuls were hard, simply because Hiccup kept moaning and protesting, but after that, he either learned to accept it because she wasn't pulling away, or his hunger was getting the better of him.

He blinked his eyes open and squinted up at her blearily. His eyes were glazed over and unfocused, but he still managed to register it was her and not someone else. "Astrid," he coughed out; his voice was just about gone, thanks to his coughing. A scratchy croak was all he managed.

Astrid set the spoon down in the bowl and put her hand over his. "Hiya," she whispered faintly, trying not to sound too worried. "Feeling any better?"

Hiccup shut his eyes. "Ick," he croaked. He started coughing promptly afterwards, and Astrid rubbed his shoulder. By his deep coughs, she reckoned the Eel Pox had settled in his chest, which meant he was going to have trouble breathing (which he already had anyways).

"Alright, no more talking for you," she said as soon as he got over his fit of coughing. "Your voice sounds terrible, and it's only making you cough more."

Hiccup laid back and sniffled. "Toothless?" he slurred. Although Astrid could hardly tell what he was saying at this point, the dragon obviously understood that his name was being called, because the Night Fury stood up and raced over to his rider, nuzzling Hiccup's cheek. Hiccup smiled weakly and ran his shaking hand over the dragon's head. "H-hey buddy…" he rasped. He blinked once slowly and twice quickly before repeating the session again, obviously fighting against sleep.

As much as Astrid knew and understood that he needed sleep, she also knew that if he was going to recover quickly, he would need something in his system. She spooned some more broth and held it out to him, and after a few moments of hesitation, he opened his mouth. His already flushed cheeks went redder, but Astrid decided not to mention it. It wasn't like she didn't like taking care of him. She knew he was going to be embarrassed about it, but that was okay with her.

It wasn't like there was anyone else around them who would judge. Plus, he was sick, and Astrid was certain that he wouldn't even be able to hold a spoon on his own if he tried.

After three more swallows worth of broth, Hiccup laid his head back against his pillow and closed his eyes. Astrid looked down at the bowl. It wasn't even half empty yet. He would have to eat more, or he might never recover completely. He had hardly eaten anything the past two days, and she wasn't _about_ to let him start losing weight. He hardly weighed anything as it was in the first place. He couldn't stand to get thinner.

"Hiccup-" she tried.

"I can't," he murmured in a thick, cracked, broken voice. "M'sorry...can't…"

She understood why he couldn't, really, she did. She understood the nausea that came with having Eel Pox, and she knew how much worse eating made it, but she also knew that she always felt better after eating something when she had Eel Pox. She knew she needed to get him to eat more and just hope he didn't throw it up later.

"I know," she said, putting her hand on his cheek and holding his head, forcing him to look at her, "but you'll get worse if you don't keep up _some_ strength, Hiccup. It'll get worse. You know it will. You'll feel better after you've eaten something."

"Or worse…"

Astrid bit her lip. There was that possibility, too. She hadn't overlooked that possibility. "Just...please," she said. "Snotlout and the twins will be here soon with the medicine, but until then, we have to do whatever we can, and right now, that's making sure you don't get sicker. So...please. For me."

Hiccup looked ready to protest again, but when he looked back up at Astrid and then shifted his gaze back to Toothless, he sighed in defeat. "Fine…" he whispered.

"Not a lot," Astrid assured him. "Just a few more bites, and then I'll leave you alone about it for a while and come back later, got it?"

Hiccup nodded silently.

The rest of the day didn't hold anything exciting. Stormfly patrolled the island while Fishlegs and Meatlug kept making sure Hiccup and Astrid were properly supplies and Astrid and Toothless remained with their sick friend. As it turned out, eating even a small bowl of broth had made Hiccup feel at least a little bit better, but it didn't last long, which made Astrid disappointed. It seemed as though no matter what she did, Hiccup's health just kept spiralling downhill.

She knew it would keep doing that, too, if Snotlout and the twins didn't get back with the cure soon. Eel Pox was one heck of an illness. There wasn't any "recovering on your own" thing tied into it. You either got the medicine to cure it, or you kept getting worse and worse until eventually, either permanent brain damage or death resulted.

She didn't want to think about it, but for some reason, it seemed as though she _couldn't_ stop thinking about it. She was worried about her friend. She was really, really, really worried about him, and she was sure it was obvious. There was no hiding it from anyone. Not from Fishlegs, not from Stormfly, not from Toothless, and not even from her other friends.

Because she loved Hiccup.

She didn't know what she would ever do without him.

* * *

 **DO YOU GUYS SEE THAT ON THE HORIZON!? IT LOOKS LIKE...IT LOOKS LIKE...**

 **A CHAPTER 4! This fanfiction is turning out to be longer than I intended it to be...even my chapters are longer than usual! I don't know why! I love writing about a sick Hiccup! I don't know why! Save me, someone! Save me from myself! I have mo BRAKES! I HAVE NO BRAKES! *crashes into mound of feels* AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!**

 **So, I'm writing another chapter, obviously, and I probably won't go over five chapters, if I even make it over four. So, ya. Look forward to chapter 4 if you want, review if you want, and if you want to continue reading, I'll see you soon! :D BYYYEEE!**


	4. Chapter 4

**So I figured out that Dragon's Edge is actually 37 hours away from Berk (thanks to a reviewer whose name escapes me...you know who you are, so thank you a bunch. :D), so if suddenly you're thinking "But the thing said twenty four hours in a previous chapter and now it's changed!" then that's why. :) Thanks to all who read, review, fav, and follow, and here's chapter 4! :D**

Snotlout was having a bad day. He didn't want to go search for the cure for Eel Pox, but at the same time, his protective cousin instincts had taken the better of him, and he had actually _volunteered_ to go out again once they got back to Berk.

The only thing he hated was the fact he had to ride with Gothi, but even then, it wasn't _that_ bad. Not as bad as it could have been, of course.

Well, on the other hand, it could have been better. Gothi could have ridden with the twins, but she wouldn't have any of that. They'd been flying for hours now, heading to Eel Island to find the bloodvein eel. Afterwards, they had to get to Healer's Island and find the list of herbs to help finish making the cure for Eel Pox.

Snotlout was _not_ excited about going to Eel Island. He had learned from Fishlegs and Hiccup what happened when Toothless accidentally ate an eel once: he got the dragon's version of Eel Pox, which was something Snotlout didn't want to risk Hookfang getting. It explained why dragons were so terrified of eels, much like Snotlout was terrified of being around someone infected with Eel Pox for fear of getting sick.

Which meant that it was going to be harder to get the eel if neither Hookfang nor Barf or Belch wanted to go near the creatures.

Greeeeeeaaaattt.

Sarcasm _so_ included.

But it was better than being around Hiccup and risking getting Eel Pox. Snotlout would rather look for a cure than take care of him, like Astrid and Fishlegs were doing. He didn't understand why Astrid had gotten so mad at her when he refused to go near Hiccup. Did she _want_ everyone to get sick?

He was pretty sure she didn't, but at the same time, he really didn't know one way or another. He never understood women, especially Astrid. There was that one time she got all creepy around him, telling him how his eyes reflected the clouds so beautifully, and her voice got all weird…

He didn't like her very much after that. Those few minutes were just plain _terrifying_.

They landed on Eel Island, and as soon as they did so, Snotlout dismounted first, followed by Gothi, and the twins. He surveyed their surroundings, putting his hand over his eyes to block out the sun.

"Okay," he said. "We need a strategy." Oh, he was _not_ good at this. He always wanted to be the leader, to best Hiccup or even best Astrid, but now, he was at a loss. He didn't know _how_ to be a leader. "We could, um…" He didn't want the dragons getting the Eel Pox disease, or else they would have a real problem on their hands.

 _Think like Hiccup. Think like Hiccup._ He couldn't believe he was actually thinking about that, but as much as he hated to admit it, Hiccup was brilliant. He was smart, intelligent, clever (sometimes fiendishly clever), and always knew what to do to get them out of whatever situation they found themselves in.

"I know!" Tuffnut said, waving his hand in the air. "We can fly over the ocean and burn the surface of the water! Getting the eels after that will be a piece of cake!"

Snotlout opened his mouth to tell Tuffnut that it was a stupid idea, but then, he actually thought about the male twin's suggestion. "Hey, you know what," Snotlout said, "that's actually not a bad idea."

"Yeah!" Tuffnut shouted, pumping his fist into the air. He froze a moment later. " _What?"_ he blurted.

"Yeah, you heard me," Snotlout said. "Let's scorch the water, grab an eel while they're stunned - or dead - and then get back to Healer's Island to get the other stuff we need."

It sounded like a good plan, and it didn't take them very long to complete their task. Thanks to Ruffnut and Tuffnut, they had no problem firing at the water and at the eels that dwelled in the shallow water, and Snotlout had no problem scooping the dead eels into a burlap sack and swinging it over his shoulder.

Now, they had to get the herbs, and they could get the cure back to Dragon's Edge for Hiccup.

…

Hiccup retched and coughed into a bucket for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Astrid sat by him, rubbing his back while whispering soothing nothings in an attempt to calm him, although it didn't work very well. He was feeling worse and worse, and nothing they were trying was helping it get better.

"Hey," Astrid said calmly, trying to keep her hidden worry out of her voice. She brushed Hiccup's sweaty bangs out of his face, and he let her without protest. "You don't have to cry." That was another thing: his delusions were getting worse, and he would wake up panicking and shaking, not knowing where he was or who he was.

Hiccup shook his head. "I don't...I don't like...looking weak...'spesially...in front...ah'you…"

Astrid took the bucket from him and set it to the side. She hated seeing him sick, but honestly, she wasn't disgusted by it. She was a Viking: most the things they saw were disgusting. Eel Pox was no exception, and besides that, Hiccup was her friend. If she didn't take care of him, who else was around that could?

"You don't look weak to me, Hiccup," she assured him, putting her hand on the side of his head and pulling him towards her, leaning his head against her shoulder. He let himself relax with a content sigh, and Astrid ran her fingers through his greasy hair. "You never do. Sick, yes, but not weak. Everyone gets sick. Even the strongest people."

"Mmnn...you already said that once," Hiccup murmured. "I...I t-think I know what you mean…"

She brushed his bangs away from his eyes and kissed his warm forehead. "Good," she said. "And don't you forget it, either." She tapped his nose, and he blinked his glassy eyes in confusion.

He sighed, pressing his forehead against Astrid's neck. "My head hurts," he said quietly.

"I'm sure it does," Astrid said, putting her arms around him. It came as no surprise to her that his head was hurting. "You're sick, remember?"

"I remember…" he said, although he was whispering more than anything now. "But...it...it really hurts, Astrid…"

She knew it did. She knew having Eel Pox was painful. "I know," she said sympathetically. "I know. Hang in there, Hiccup. Snotlout and the twins will be back soon with the cure, and you'll be back on your feet, annoying people and causing trouble again in no time."

"Foot," Hiccup corrected drowsily. "Hmmm...I'm really tired…"

Astrid patted his back softly. "I know," she said. "Here, lie down for a little bit. You'll feel better for it."

He did as he was told, and Astrid pulled the blanket back over his shivering, feverish body. He fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, and Astrid watched him with concern.

She hated seeing him so vulnerable, especially since he was normally so stubborn - too stubborn to admit it when he actually needed help - but she was glad he was being so open with her. He wasn't hardly ever completely honest with her when he was unwell, but now, he was being almost brutally open.

And she felt so sorry for him, because since he was normally so stubborn, even when he was sick, she was reminded of just how awful he really must have felt. He must have felt _terrible_ , the poor thing…

He whimpered in his sleep, and she shushed him, taking the wet rag out of the bucket and bathing his sweaty face with it. He quieted after a moment, and she sighed with relief. She wanted him sleeping soundly, not restlessly.

All at once, Toothless and Stormfly lifted their heads in unison and eyed the door of the hut. They didn't look angry or nervous; just curious. Astrid looked to the door and listened, trying to hear what they were hearing.

And then she heard it. The roar of a dragon, followed by the tell-tale _thump_ of one landing. Astrid recognized the roar almost as soon as she heard it.

Skullcrusher.

Stoick's dragon.

Within moments, the door swung open, and Stoick raced into the establishment. He said his son's name in a quiet whisper and instantly crossed the room in six long strides, reaching his son's bedside in a remarkably short amount of time. He put his hand on Hiccup's forehead, frowning at the heat raging through the dragon trainer's skin.

"That's a high fever he's got," Stoick commented, worry evident in his voice. He sat down on the edge of the bed. "How did he get Eel Pox? He never gets Eel Pox."

"I don't know," Astrid said, mentally sighing with relief, thankful that the Berkian Chief had finally arrived. He was Hiccup's father, and she was sure that him just being there would help Hiccup a lot. "He mentioned being up all night a few days back," Astrid continued, "and there was a snowstorm...it's been absolutely freezing the past few days."

Stoick nodded. "I could tell when I flew in," he said. "The ground's covered in snow. I'm surprised you lot aren't drowning in it."

"We manage," Astrid said. "Sometimes it's worse than others, but we manage. Any word from Snotlout or the twins?" She knew Stoick probably didn't know anything she didn't, but it was worth a shot.

"Nothing," Stoick admitted. "Not since they left Berk for the cure. Snotlout was panicking because he was around Hiccup, and the twins...well...I don't think they fully understand the concept of 'contagious.'"

"They don't fully understand the concept of _anything_ ," Astrid said. She glanced back down at Hiccup and brushed the back of her hand against his cheek. "I know what you mean about his fever," she said. "I'm trying to get it down…" She was trying. She was really, really, honestly trying, but it seemed that no matter what she did, Hiccup's health didn't improve, and she felt awful because of it.

"You might try some snow on his head, Astrid," Stoick suggested. "It's colder than the water you've got, I'm sure. It should help."

Astrid lifted her head. She hadn't thought about using snow before. The more she thought about it, the better of an idea it sounded. So she stood up and headed outside, taking a bucket with her as she went.

Meanwhile, Stoick stayed with Hiccup. After a few moments of silence in the abode, Hiccup stirred and muttered in his sleep. "Sorry...burning village…" he murmured, rolling over on his side. "Again...sorry...my fault…"

Stoick sighed. He hated the things that came with having Eel Pox. He placed his hand over his son's and rubbed the boy's arm soothingly. "It's alright, Hiccup," he whispered. "It's alright. Just sleep."

After a few moments, Hiccup's breathing deepened again, and Stoick sat back, just about the same time Astrid raced back into the house, carrying the bucket of snow.

"He needs the cure soon, Astrid," Stoick said, running his hand over Hiccup's head. "His fever's gotten higher."


	5. Chapter 5

**HELLLOOOOOOOOOO EVERYBODY! :D So, I think there will be ONE MORE CHAPTER after this, and then we're done with the story! :D YAY! Thanks to all who read, review, fav, and follow! I love you guys! :D Enjoy chapter 5! :D**

* * *

Hiccup was never sure what happened during the time he was sick. Most of it was a blur of mixed words and feverish dreams, followed by coughs and the endless feeling of nausea clawing at his stomach, offering him no break from it.

The thing he remembered the most were the delusions he had. Well, he didn't know they were delusions, only because they felt so real, but Astrid called them delusions everytime he woke up from one, so that's what he assumed they were.

That didn't mean going through them was made any easier, however. He still thought they were real. They still felt so real. He couldn't tell what was reality and what was a dream until he woke up and learned either way. He was pretty sure he never wanted to get sick ever again after this. It was never fun, but he was being reminded of how horrible Eel Pox really was. When he got it when he was seven, the only thing he remembered was being scared of dragons killing him or his father, along with his Dad taking care of him…

That was another thing. He wanted his Dad. He thought he overheard Fishlegs telling Astrid that Stoick was on his way sometime during his half-awake state, but for all Hiccup knew, that could have been another delusion. Nevertheless, he wanted his father with him. Having Astrid was a great comfort, but his father was...different. There was something comforting about having his parent with him that Hiccup couldn't fully grasp or explain.

He felt as though he were burning from the inside out, almost as if he were being roasted over an open flame. Heat rushed through his veins, but despite that, he was shivering. He knew it was chills, in the back of his mind, and he knew he had a fever, but that didn't exactly help him very much in the end.

Suddenly, the image in his mind's eyes shifted, and he was standing in the plaza of Berk. He didn't know how he got there, or whether or not this was a delusion...it felt real. Real, but at the same time, not real. He felt as though he were truly standing there, at Berk.

Only, the village was in flames. Not all of it: two or three houses, to be exact. Dragons swooped overhead, carrying livestock in their claws.

 _But we made peace with the dragons, didn't we? We shouldn't still be at war...what's going on?_ That was the problem: he didn't know what the heck was going on, what was real and what was fake...it was getting harder and harder to decide either way.

Villagers were looking at him with disappointment, and he could only assume that it was because of something he did. Again. He was always doing _something_ wrong. He was always doing something he needed to apologize.

"Sorry...burning village…" he mumbled, wondering briefly why it was so hard to talk. "Again...sorry...my fault…"

Or, he assumed it was his fault. It normally was.

He felt something (or someone) touch his arm, and the scene faded. He didn't bother opening his eyes: his lids felt too heavy to do even that little bit. He sighed, letting himself relax.

 _I'm pretty sure that was a delusion,_ he thought to himself, although he really didn't know either way.

Then, he heard a voice, and not just any voice, but the voice of someone he knew. The voice of someone he had been hoping to hear. "It's alright, Hiccup," the voice whispered; the voice of his father. Hiccup sighed again in relief. His father was here.

Or was this another delusion?

No, he didn't think this was a delusion. It felt too real. He felt his father's strong yet gentle hand resting over his own. It was tangible; his father was there with him.

"It's alright," Stoick said. "Just sleep."

Hiccup didn't want to sleep, honestly. Although he was beyond exhausted and overly hot, he still wanted to at least open his eyes, maybe say something to his father, but his body obviously had other ideas. He wanted to get up, thank his father for coming…

But…

He was so _tired_ …

He heard his father's distant voice: "He needs the cure soon, Astrid. His fever's gotten higher." Then, without his permission, he was whisked away to sleep.

…

 _He was standing in a field. A beautiful field, decorated with roses and tulips and some flowers he had never even seen before. Sunlight shined down on the field, giving it a glowing light that almost felt magical. The sun was shining, very few clouds in the deep blue sky. The weather was warm, different than what the Berkian was used to, but it felt good. Relaxing. Soothing, if you would._

 _But something felt particularly...off. He couldn't put his finger on what it was, but he knew it was there. A sort of...unsettling feeling that left him spinning around in a small circle, examining the land._

 _For a few moments, there was nothing._

 _But then, there was a scream, and it made his heart skip a beat, although he was unaware of it. The scream was familiar; painfully familiar, and it made his heart leap into his throat._

 _Astrid's scream. It was Astrid's scream._

…

"His fever's rising?" Astrid asked worriedly, setting the bucket of snow down on the ground beside the bed and putting her hand on Hiccup's cheek. Her eyes widened. "You're right," she gasped. "It hasn't been this high before…" She scooped snow out of the bucket hurriedly and put it on Hiccup's forehead. Then, she stood once again and raced towards the door. "I'll get Fishlegs!" she called over her shoulder as she ran. "Maybe he has some herbs!" Stoick hardly heard the last bit of what she shouted, because she was already gone, out the door and towards Fishlegs' place.

She returned minutes later with Fishlegs in tow. "He's getting worse, Fishlegs!" Astrid was explaining frantically as she practically dragged Fishlegs through the front door. "Do something! Help him!"

 _..._

 _Before Hiccup even knew what he was doing, he was running towards the source of the scream, and as he was running, pieces of the field went from bright gold to dark blood red. The flowers seemed to turn into the red crimson liquid before his eyes, melting away like ice, which then served to paint the ground red. He didn't stop running all the while, and as he kept running, more of the beauty turned horrid._

 _He didn't stop running. If anything, he ran faster. He ran as fast as was humanly possible, and he didn't look back. As he ran, the sky turned from blue to a deep, blackish red, but he hardly noticed even that. He had to find Astrid. He had to do something, before he was too late._

 _If he wasn't already..._

 _And then, he saw it. Dagur was standing over Astrid's body, holding a sword to her throat. She looked unconscious. That, or she was…_

 _Dead._

…

"It's the Eel Pox," Fishlegs stated as he stepped away from Hiccup.

"Oh, gee, thanks, Fishlegs!" Astrid snapped. "Because we had _no idea_ it was Eel Pox! We're SO GLAD we have YOU! Lucky us! YIPEE!" Although she was being beyond sarcastic, there was panic in her voice that didn't go unnoticed.

Stoick kept putting handfuls of snow on Hiccup's forehead, but it melted rather quickly due to his fever, and sooner than later, Astrid was scrambling to refill the now empty bucket with more snow. It was getting tempting to just dump the entire thing over the sick boy's head, but Astrid knew they couldn't do that.

Hiccup twitched in his sleep, his eyes screwing shut. "No…" he whispered, his head lolling against his pillow. "No...no, Astrid…"

Astrid's eyes widened. "No," she whispered. "No, not another one…" She shook her head feverishly, but she already knew the truth.

Hiccup was having another delusion.

...

 _No. Hiccup wasn't going to think about that possibility. There was just no way he was going to think about that possibility. She couldn't be dead. She was so...so...so important to him. She couldn't die. She just couldn't!_

 _He drew his dagger and ran at the Berserker, slamming into him without a second thought. Both Dagur and Hiccup tumbled to the ground, and Hiccup wrenched the axe out of the Berserker's grip._

 _Funny, he was sure Dagur had a sword before...oh well. Hiccup wasn't complaining. He bashed the axe against Dagur's head, and Dagur went limp, to death or unconsciousness, Hiccup didn't know._

 _Nor could he bring himself to care. Picking himself up off the ground, he raced towards the still body of Astrid Hofferson._

…

"Stoick, I've never seen Eel Pox this bad before!" Fishlegs cried helplessly. "We have to do something, and we have to do something now!"

Astrid was sitting on the edge of the bed, cradling Hiccup's skull in her lap while Stoick bathed his son's face with ice cold snow. Fishlegs was being absolutely no help at all, which he often wasn't when he was terrified of something, and this terrified him very much so, and that fact terrified Astrid and Stoick.

"THEN DO SOMETHING," Stoick shouted; he was panicking as much as Fishlegs was. He knew how serious Eel Pox was, but for Hiccup to get so much sicker, and in such a short amount of time...

"He needs the cure, and he needs it fast!" Fishlegs yelped. "He won't hold out much longer...I've never seen anything like this before…"

"FISHLEGS!" Astrid shouted. "What do we do!? You tell us!"

"He's too weak!" Fishlegs said, panicking even more. "He hasn't been eating enough the past few days, and he stayed up that one night all night, and it's freezing outside...just keep him warm, and try to get his fever down."

"THAT'S HARD TO DO BOTH AT ONCE, FISHLEGS!" Stoick said. "There must be something else. Something else we can do!"

Fishlegs shook his head, and the exact moment he did, the door to the abode swung open, and, to their surprise and utter relief, Snotlout, the twins, and Gothi raced through it. Gothi wasn't running, instead walking slowly, stirring something in a pail that no one could make out.

By the smell of it, it must have been medicine, because only Gothi could make a medicine that smelled that bad.

"We came as soon as we could!" Snotlout shouted. "We even flew overnight, just to get here...oh Thor…" He gasped at the sight of his cousin.

"He needs the cure," Astrid said, trying to keep the hysterics out of her voice although she failed miserably. "NOW!"

...

" _Astrid!" he shouted desperately, grabbing her shoulder and shaking it roughly. "No! No, Astrid, please no!"_

 _She was pale, copious amounts of blood staining her shirt. She'd been stabbed by Dagur. That much was obvious. She had been stabbed, and now, she was...she was…_

 _Hiccup pressed his ear to her chest, hardly daring to breathe._

 _...no._

 _No heartbeat. No pulse. She wasn't breathing. She was...she was…_

" _NO!" Hiccup wailed._

…

"NO!" Hiccup screamed in his sleep, and Astrid had to hold him down. Stoick grabbed Hiccup's shoulders, but it didn't stop his thrashing. "NO!"

Gothi poured the contents of the pail into a cup and handed it to Fishlegs, who instantly raced it over to Astrid and Stoick. "Here!" he said instantly, giving it to Astrid. Stoick and Snotlout held Hiccup down while Astrid pinched his nose shut, tipped his head back, and forced the contents of the cup down his throat. He coughed and choked, but his swallowing instinct was kicking in, and he drank most of it. His struggling ceased, and Snotlout sat back, sighing and breathing heavily in relief.

"Swallow, Hiccup," Astrid coaxed, still pouring the contents of the cup down his throat while trying to be careful so that he didn't choke on it. "Swallow it."

It took nearly five minutes, but at length, the contents of the cup were downed.

…

 _All at once, the image faded, and Hiccup found himself swimming in a small body of water, treading the water. He was swimming directly beside the docks, and on the edge of the docks sat Astrid, her legs dangling over the side of the wood._

 _She said nothing, and neither did Hiccup. Instead, she reached her hand towards him, and he grabbed it after little hesitation. She smiled, and pulled him out of the water._

…

Hiccup opened his eyes, blinking rapidly. He felt exhausted...too exhausted, perhaps, for it to be even possible. It was dark, and he was covered in thick blankets with a damp rag on his forehead.

"Hiccup?" Astrid's voice said to the left of him, and he turned to look at her. She looked back at him for just a moment before taking his hand in hers. "You're awake," she breathed. "Thank goodness you're awake…you passed out, just after we gave you the cure. You gave us all quite the scare."

He opened his mouth to say something else, but she shushed him before he even got a word out. "Shh," she whispered. "Don't speak. You're really weak, Hiccup. Rest for now. We'll talk when you're feeling better, alright?"

He nodded shakily, suddenly remembering how tired he felt. Astrid loosened her grip on his hand, but he tightened his own. "Stay?" he whimpered hoarsely.

Astrid held his hand tightly again almost instantly, and she sat down on the edge of the ebd again. "Yes," she said, brushing his bangs back off his forehead and rewetting the rag. "I'll stay."

Hiccup sighed in relief and shut his eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**GUYS! My friend and I were running, and he tripped in front of me, and I tripped over him, and I smashed my big toe against a giant tent peg, and my toenail practically broke in half! Like, no joke! I didn't lose any toenail, but it's cracked down the middle. It is very weird looking and painful.**

 **Anyways, here's the final chapter to this fanfiction! Yay! :D Thanks to all who read it, reviewed it, favorited it, followed it, and everything! And thanks to everyone out there who read my story and didn't review, fav or follow. I know you're out there *grins creepily*. I KNOW THINGS. So, thanks, guys! You're all appreciated! :D Enjoy the final chapter! :D**

* * *

Astrid watched Hiccup fall asleep, his grip on her hand finally going slack. She didn't let go, instead tightening her grip so that his hand didn't slip from hers. She was so, _so_ worried that she was going to lose him. They all were, until Snotlout and the twins got back with Gothi and the cure. She'd never seen Eel Pox as severe as that, and even after the cure was down Hiccup's throat, when he passed out, they had panicked all over again. It wasn't until Gothi checked his breathing and his heartbeat and determined that he had been cured did they finally take a breath and step back from their worry.

Not from his side, of course, because Astrid was sure she was never going to leave his side again, and Stoick really wasn't much different. When night finally fell, Snotlout, Fishlegs, the twins and Gothi went to rest, and Stoick stayed with Astrid and Hiccup for a few hours before he was finally too tired to stay awake. He flew the whole day and a half to Dragon's Edge without resting, so it came to Astrid as no surprise that he was exhausted.

She'd told him that she would stay with Hiccup, and that he could go get some rest, and although he was reluctant, he complied, telling her to come get him should Hiccup get worse.

Hiccup woke up just a moment ago, an hour after Stoick left, dazed and exhausted, staring at her in confusion with half-lidded eyes. She had told him to sleep, and he had fallen asleep instantly - after making her promise she would stay, of course, but she had planned to do that before he even asked her to.

She held his weak hand, rubbing her thumb over his bony knuckles. She stayed by his side until daybreak, constantly making sure his still persistent fever was going down. Gothi said (in runes, of course, that Fishlegs translated) that his fever, which had been brought down to the point where it was no longer high enough to raise concern, should linger for another two to three days. She also mentioned in her writings that, since the Eel Pox rested in his chest, he would also have a difficult time breathing at times, and his cough would also linger for about the same amount of time as his fever.

Those two things, along with being exhausted and weak. The cure was in his system; now, his body was just reacting accordingly, shutting itself down to let the medicine do its work. Gothi's instructions were simple: make sure he rested, ate something (she specifically mentioned broth or soup), and didn't get out of bed. She said he also might be nauseated for the next few days, so she gave him a herb mixed in the Eel Pox cure for that.

She also made Snotlout, the twins, Fishlegs, Stoick, and Astrid take some of the cure, just in case they had caught Hiccup's Eel Pox. After all, it was better to be safe than sorry.

The door opened, and Stoick stepped inside. He looked rested enough, but the ever present worry was still there, hanging over him like a sheet. "How is he?" he asked as he approached Astrid and his sleeping son. Astrid lifted her head and regarded the Chief with a nod before turning her attention back to Hiccup.

"He's alright," she said. "He woke up a few hours ago, but he's exhausted. He fell asleep again almost as soon as he opened his eyes."

"It's good that he's resting, though," Stoick said, sitting down on the edge of the bed across from Astrid. "No more delusions? Nightmares?"

Astrid shook her head. "No," she said. "He's resting peacefully, for the most part. Sometimes he moans, but I think that's mainly because of his fever." She ran her hand over his head briefly before letting it rest on his hairline. "It's gone down, but it's still there, like Gothi said it would be."

Stoick nodded. "Thank you for taking care of him, Astrid. I appreciate it."

Astrid smiled faintly. "You're welcome," she said. "He would do the same for me, so...I just thought...y'know…"

"You care about him, don't you?"

Astrid paused briefly, although she wasn't sure why. Yes, she cared about Hiccup. Yes, she _loved_ Hiccup, and she was pretty sure everyone knew it already, but still. She'd never actually openly admitted it to anyone besides Hiccup before.

At length, she nodded. "Yes," she said. "I do care about him."

Stoick nodded again. "He's lucky to have you," he said at last.

Astrid nodded once more. "I know," she said. "I'm lucky to have him, too."

…

The next time Hiccup woke up, it was late afternoon - late to the point where the sun was setting, leaving the room not completely dark, but not completely light, either. He blinked and glanced about the room blearily.

He felt tired, but not as bad as he had felt previously, which was a relief. He sat up, wincing and clutching his queasy stomach. He still didn't completely well, but it was better than it was before.

The next thing he knew, he was being bombarded by a black mound of scales and covered in thick dragon saliva. Hiccup laughed and shoved Toothless back, but the Night Fury made no move.

"Toothless!" Hiccup said between his bouts of laughter. "Tooth-Toothless! Stop, bud!" Toothless finally stepped back, although it was clear he was reluctant, and Hiccup took to trying to wipe the dragon spit off his face. He reached around blindly, finally managing to grab a rag and wipe his face. It did next to nothing to help. "Oh, great. Note for the book of dragons, dragon spit doesn't wash out."

Toothless tilted his head curiously at his rider, and Hiccup laughed again. "Nah, I'm okay," he said. "I feel a little off, but okay." Toothless seemed satisfied, and he laid his head in Hiccup's lap. Hiccup stroked the dragon's head, gazing about his room.

He was still at Dragon's Edge, and everything was a mess, like it usually was. Books were strewn all over the place, along with papers and notebooks and lots and lots of charcoal. He blinked at his surroundings, coming to the realization that he was alone.

"Huh," he murmured to himself. "Looks like I'm by myself."

Toothless growled.

"Ah, of course," Hiccup said, his attention focused back on his dragon. "I still have you, don't I?" Toothless cooed in agreement and licked him again. Hiccup scowled. "Yes," he said. "You and your tongue. Eww…"

Toothless rolled his eyes and went back to sleeping. Hiccup leaned back against the headboard of his bed and shut his eyes.

They flew open again when the doors were flung open and Astrid ran in, flanked by Stormfly. "Hiccup!" Astrid exclaimed, quickly crossing the room. Hiccup waved his hand to her in acknowledgement, and she stopped, her smile fading. "You look terrible!" she said. "Did your fever get higher? Is that why you're sweating?"

It took Hiccup a few moments, but when he understood what she meant, he laughed. "No, Astrid!" he said. "It's Toothless' spit."

Astrid retracted her hand and made a face in disgust. "Okay, gross," she said. "Here." She took a rag out of a bucket of water and threw it at him, and he caught it.

"Thanks," he said, trying (and failing) to wipe the dragon saliva out of his hair. "It doesn't wash out," he stated lamely.

"Then Stormfly and I will fly you over a lake and drop you in," Astrid said. "When you're doing better, of course. I was meaning to ask you, by the way." She sat down on the edge of the bed, folding her hands in her lap. "How're ya feeling?"

"Like I do after hand to hand combat training, and like I've been mauled over by Hookfang," Hiccup said flatly.

"And how is that?"

"Considering I get punched in the stomach about a hundred times during combat training, and considering how angry Hookfang can get…pretty rotten, Astrid."

Astrid smiled sympathetically. "Aww, poor you," she said. Hiccup wasn't sure whether or not she was being honest. "I'd hug you if you weren't covered in drool." He had no doubt she was being honest about that much, though.

Hiccup pulled the blanket over his head for a moment before letting it drop again. "It's not _that_ bad," he said. "See? I think it's coming out. Uuuuuuggghhh…" He shook his head feverishly.

Astrid smiled. "I'm joking," she said. "You get a hug anyway." She wrapped one of her arms around his shoulders and stayed there. "So, you're feeling better, then?"

"Loads," he replied. The closeness between the two of them was slightly awkward, and not something he had been expecting, but he wasn't complaining either way. He liked feeling cared for, especially by Astrid. "Thanks for asking."

"You're welcome," Astrid said back. "I'm mainly worried, actually, you know. You were really sick."

Hiccup smiled. "I know that, Astrid. I was there."

Astrid sighed. "I'm serious," she said. "It was...freaky. If Snotlout and the twins didn't get back with the cure when they did…" She let her voice trail off, and the arm she had around his shoulders tightened.

"They did," Hiccup said, just in case Astrid decided to continue speaking. "They came back, and everyone's alright, alright? All's well that ends well."

Astrid sighed, but nodded. "You're right," she said. "You're right, you're right. You usually are...and it's annoying, by the way."

Hiccup laughed softly. "I'll remember that, thanks," he said.

Silence fell for a few moments before Astrid spoke again. "Alright, so tell me honestly. How are you feeling, without a metaphor?"

Hiccup shrugged. "My head hurts, and I feel queasy, but really, that's it," he said casually. He expected her to pull away, but she didn't.

"Uh-huh," she said. "Sorry about that. Gothi said it would happen. It'll take a few more days before you're completely back to your old obnoxious self."

"Consider yourself lucky," Hiccup said, under his breath although loud enough for Astrid to hear him clearly.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because now," Hiccup said, "you get a vacation from me for a few days before I'm bugging you again."

After a pause, Astrid laughed. "You don't _bother_ me, Hiccup," she said. "And it won't be a vacation, because I'll be worried about you whenever I'm not here."

Hiccup hesitated after she said that. He didn't remember very much of what happened while he was ill, but there were a few - very few, mind you - vivid memories. "Astrid," he said, "did you stay here the _whole time_ I had Eel Pox?"

Astrid didn't answer right away, which Hiccup assumed meant "yes". "You were sick, Hiccup," Astrid said at long last, her voice suddenly quiet. "What did you _expect_ me to do? Leave you to fend for yourself with Sir Spit? I don't think so."

Toothless growled, but it sounded as though he were more annoyed than anything, because growling was all he did before laying back down on the floor and falling asleep afterwards.

Hiccup sighed. "You didn't have to," he said. "You could have gone and done your own thing. You could-"

"But I didn't," Astrid said. "You needed someone to take care of you who didn't freak out whenever you coughed even _remotely_ near them. That would be me. Snotlout and the twins were out of there instantly, and Fishlegs has a nasty habit of panicking too much and forgetting that he actually has to _do_ something...why are you looking at me like that?"

Hiccup averted his gaze. "No reason," he said. "I was just...thinking."

"Oh? Do tell."

"I didn't do anything stupid, did I?" Hiccup could remember all the times when Snotlout or Fishlegs or the twins got Eel Pox. It always resulted in them doing the most stupid things one could think of.

Astrid shook her head, which made Hiccup sigh inwardly with relief. "Nope," she said. "Nothing weird. You just had a bunch of nightmares and threw up quite a bit, but it wasn't that bad."

Hiccup winced. "Eh...sorry."

"It wasn't your fault."

"But I could have gotten you seriously sick, Astrid."

Astrid blew her bangs out of her face. "You could have," she said, "but you didn't. Besides, germs don't scare me. I scare _them_."

"Good for you," Hiccup said. "Because they _certainly_ like to toy with me and my life."

"We've talked about this before, Hiccup," Astrid said. "The reason you always get sick after snowstorms is because you're skinny. And it's not a bad thing, either, like we've also discussed. It just means you're going to have to start eating more. Which reminds me. I brought soup over if you want some. And no, I didn't make it, so you can stop panicking."

Hiccup sighed in relief. "Good," he said. "If you cooked it, I would have figured you _wanted_ me dead. No offense, of course. Your cooking isn't exactly the best."

"I know," Astrid said. "You've said that once before."

"And I'll say it again," Hiccup said quietly.

The silence that fell between the two of them after that was relaxing. Neither one of them spoke. Hiccup leaned his head against Astrid's shoulder, and she pressed her cheek to the top of his head. Toothless and Stormfly watched them curiously for a few moments before laying down to sleep themselves.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Hiccup," Astrid whispered, her eyes closed.

Hiccup shut his eyes. "Me too," he said. "Me too." That was the last thing he said before a peaceful slumber washed over him, and he fell asleep.

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 **Author's Notes:**

 **So, this is done. I want to see a Race to the Edge episode like this SOOOOOOO badly! I think it would be sweet...I don't know. Comments? :)**

 **So I hope you all enjoyed this! I really don't have much to say right now...the story's pretty self explanatory, so...yeah. I'll just go now. :D**

 **Oh, and if you guys liked the story, let me know why you liked it so much and I'll try and put more of that in future stories. That's all I've gotta say. :D**

 **Until next story!**

 **-BeyondTheClouds777**


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